A novel lysosome-targeting BODIPY-based fluorescent probe with two near-infrared channel signals for ratiometric detection of HClO and its application in diabetes mice model

Diabetes is an endocrine and metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia, which can lead to a variety of serious complications. Hypochlorous acid (HClO), one of the significant members of reactive oxygen species (ROS), is essential for various physiological processes, and the acidic lysosomes of phagocytes are one of its main sources. The related studies suggest that abnormal levels of HClO in the body have a strong association with diabetic process, but the pathological mechanisms of HClO on diabetic diseases are still unclear. Here, a novel ratiometric lysosome-targeted BODIPY-based fluorescence probe Lyso-HClO was designed for specific recognition of HClO. Lyso-HClO could rapidly sense HClO within 20 s, and its limit of detection was calculated as low as 45 nM. Both the emission wavelengths of Lyso-HClO before and after reaction of HClO reached the near-infrared region, which effectively reduced tissue damage and eliminated background interference from organisms to achieve more accurate analysis. Lyso-HClO was successfully employed for fluorescence imaging of both exogenous and endogenous HClO in RAW264.7 cells, HepG2 cells, and zebrafish. Additionally, it was effectively utilized to monitor the HClO fluctuations in diabetic mice, exhibiting a 15-fold increase in the fluorescence signal ratio (I650/I685). Therefore, the probe Lyso-HClO has enormous potential for the early diagnosis and prevention of diabetes and its complications.